WO2005098703A1 - Commande d'acces electronique pour dispositifs de divertissement - Google Patents

Commande d'acces electronique pour dispositifs de divertissement Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2005098703A1
WO2005098703A1 PCT/US2005/010243 US2005010243W WO2005098703A1 WO 2005098703 A1 WO2005098703 A1 WO 2005098703A1 US 2005010243 W US2005010243 W US 2005010243W WO 2005098703 A1 WO2005098703 A1 WO 2005098703A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
revenue
currency
amusement
payment
amusement device
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2005/010243
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Scott W. Gramstrup
Original Assignee
Global Billiard Mfg. Co., Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Global Billiard Mfg. Co., Inc. filed Critical Global Billiard Mfg. Co., Inc.
Publication of WO2005098703A1 publication Critical patent/WO2005098703A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0042—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for hiring of objects
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/3202—Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
    • G07F17/3223—Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/3244—Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/32—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for games, toys, sports, or amusements
    • G07F17/38—Ball games; Shooting apparatus
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63D—BOWLING GAMES, e.g. SKITTLES, BOCCE OR BOWLS; INSTALLATIONS THEREFOR; BAGATELLE OR SIMILAR GAMES; BILLIARDS
    • A63D15/00—Billiards, e.g. carom billiards or pocket billiards; Billiard tables

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly, game tables such as pool tables which are fitted with devices for enabling play such as controlling the release of pool balls.
  • the most common control device comprises a slanted runway where the balls are held in place by a rotating cage until the cage is activated to release the balls into a holding area where the balls can be accessed. Activation is caused by the insertion of coins into a coin chute and manually pressing forward and releasing the chute handle.
  • each ball As each ball is driven into a pocket during play, it is trapped in the cage and remains trapped until the cage is re-activated. The cue ball is separated from the other balls by size, or by use of an optical sensor or a magnet, so that it is not trapped. Accordingly, play may continue should the cue ball fall into a pocket.
  • the controller may vary the price during predetermined time periods, such as during league nights or during happy hour. Variations in price or changes on the length of the play period for different times of the day or days of the week, depending on the type of play or number of people waiting to play are implemented in the Sundstrom et al apparatus.
  • the present invention is directed to a device that programmably controls the release of pool balls in money-operated pool tables.
  • An objective of the present invention is to provide a programmable controller whereby the insertion of coins, bills of a predetermined denomination, bank credit or charge cards or coded cards, or the presence of a "virtual wallet" cell phone, the amount being programmably variable, will allow the user to select timed or rack play, thereby releasing the pool balls in a pool table for manual transfer for one or more racks of play or for play in which balls fall freely into the holding area until the expiration of a predetermined time period related to the consideration deposited.
  • Pool tables have not kept up with the technology of the vending and gaming industries. What is needed, and what is provided in the present invention, is a remote revenue collector that can be wirelessly linked to a pool table that can control the many parameters that operators have found useful. These include single play, timed play, defined number of games played, and cost adjustments for time of day or days of the week. Additionally, special events can be programmed.
  • a novel revenue collecting device includes a credit/debit or other revenue card reader, a bar code scanner, an optical reader, a proximity sensor, a keypad or other data entry device, all of which are connected to a remote computer for accepting and processing payment information.
  • Power to the device can be supplied by a battery or a wired or wireless connection to a power source.
  • the use of credit/debit cards requires a link to a financial institution to process a charge and receive a confirmation of the charge.
  • a charge may be authorized by any wireless device which communicates with the financial institution, the confirmation being sent to the computer.
  • the computer communicates with the pool table.
  • the communication may take place using a wired or wireless connection, using modalities such as RF, IR, or ultrasound.
  • the pool table itself, may have a computer with the capability of accepting and processing the payment information without the need of a separate, remote computer, and would be capable of programming operation of the table for the various play modalities.
  • a kiosk counter top or wall mounted unit would process revenue collections and remotely control multiple pool tables through either wired or wireless connections.
  • a player would select a pool table, the mode of play, whether by time or games, provide revenue collection information using coins, bills, optically or magnetically encoded cards or other devices and receive acknowledgments of payment from financial establishments, whether in response to cards or a direct communication from the patron.
  • a revenue generating pool table that can accept various payment collecting systems including cash or charge cards and special purpose prepaid cards, wireless payment devices, coins and currency.
  • FIGURE 1 is a idealized view of an amusement device system and the access control mechanisms operable therewith;
  • FIGURE 2 is a view of counter top revenue collecting device
  • FIGURE 3 is a view of a kiosk containing a revenue collecting device
  • FIGURE 4 is a revenue collecting device adapted for wall mounting
  • FIGURE 5 shows a revenue collecting device adapted to be mounted on an amusement device
  • FIGURE 6 is an amusement device enabling system operable in response to signals from a revenue collecting device. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • FIGURE 1 there is shown a system 10 which in the present example is a billiard parlor with a plurality of billiard tables 12 and a central revenue collecting station 14. As shown in FIGURE 1, the revenue collecting station 14 communicates with the individual tables 12.
  • a wired connection is acceptable and this mode is indicated by the cables 16.
  • communication can be throug a low-power radio frequency (“RF") link, indicated by the antennas 18.
  • RF radio frequency
  • IR infra red
  • a patron accesses the revenue collection device and makes a payment, using coins, currency or a debit/credit card or, using a wireless communication device, arranges for payment, the confirmation of which is communicated to the collection device. It is also possible to utilize cards with information storage capabilities such as fare cards currently in use in many transit systems or even wireless payment authorization devices such as cellular telephones. The cards can be given a monetary value which can be decremented when used with an amusement device. When the patron has completed the purchase of access to the amusement device, a particular device, here a billiard table 12 is selected by the patron and enabled by the revenue collector 14.
  • FIGURE 2 there is shown a counter top revenue collector 30.
  • the collector 30 can be used as the revenue collector 14 of FIGURE 1.
  • a plurality of revenue accepting devices including a bill acceptor 34, a coin acceptor 36 and a credit/debit card reader 38.
  • a receipt printer 40 can provide a written record of the revenue transaction.
  • An rf antenna 42 permits radio communication between the revenue collector 30 and the tables 12.
  • An IR window 44 covers an IR transmitter and receiver combination.
  • An interactive touch screen 46 allows a patron to select a mode of play, a table and any other parameter over which he has the power of selection.
  • an internal computer which may be remote from the revenue collector 30, is contacted and supplied with the relevant information, using either the RF or IR wireless connection, or, if available, a wired connection.
  • the computer having received the information of the patron's selected options and confirmation that revenue has been received, sends information to the selected table 12, permitting a release of playing balls under the control of the patron.
  • the table can be supplied with limited memory in which to store the mode or time of play for which revenue has been received or the computer can, at the conclusion of each game (if not scheduled for time limited play) allow subsequent releases of the playing balls until all paid for games have been played.
  • each amusement device can be fitted with a revenue collecting system 60 that is in communication with a central computer (not shown) to keep track of the playing choices exercised by the patron and the revenue collected by the system 60.
  • the communication link can also be used to process credit/debit card transactions, transmitting the scanned information to a transaction validating system that is in communication with the financial institution that authorizes debit/credit transactions.
  • Authorizations to the institutions may also be originated from wireless communication devices, separate and apart from the elements of the revenue collector.
  • the amusement device collector 60 includes an RF antenna 18' and an IR source and detector behind a suitable window 20'. As shown, there is a bill collector 34', a coin collector 36' and a debit/credit card reader 38'. A small touch screen 46' displays available choices which can be changed or modified by a selector knob 62.
  • FIGURE 6 there is shown the mechanism that captures the billiard balls at the end of each game.
  • a ball collecting gate 70 is substantially as taught in the prior art.
  • An actuating mechanism is triggered by an enabling signal and goes through an operating cycle which opens the ball retaining fence 72, releasing the balls 74, (one of which is partially shown in the gate 70) and then returns to a quiescent state, awaiting the next enabling signal.
  • An electronic control card 80 is installed adjacent the table revenue collector 60 and has, in this embodiment, an RF antenna 18' which is in wireless communication with the other elements of the system. [0O32] If unlimited play for a period of time is desired, the fence 74 can be held in the "open" position for the duration of unlimited play.

Abstract

Une station de perception de recettes commande l'accès à une ou plusieurs tables de billard. La station éloignée comprend des collecteurs de pièce, de jetons et de billets, des lecteurs de carte sans monnaie pour des cartes de débit, de crédit et des cartes de transport spéciales, des scanneurs pour codes à barres sur des coupons ou similaire, et un ordinateur à fonctions de communication permettant de contacter des sources capables d'autoriser des transactions de paiement sans monnaie. L'ordinateur peut être programmé pour déterminer le type et la durée du jeu en fonction du paiement effectué par un usager. Une station peut être connectée pour commander plusieurs tables de billard, soit directement, soit par l'intermédiaire d'une communication sans fil, optique ou électromagnétique
PCT/US2005/010243 2004-03-26 2005-03-26 Commande d'acces electronique pour dispositifs de divertissement WO2005098703A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US55639704P 2004-03-26 2004-03-26
US60/556,397 2004-03-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2005098703A1 true WO2005098703A1 (fr) 2005-10-20

Family

ID=34966684

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2005/010243 WO2005098703A1 (fr) 2004-03-26 2005-03-26 Commande d'acces electronique pour dispositifs de divertissement

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US20050215317A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2005098703A1 (fr)

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US20090170602A1 (en) * 2007-12-27 2009-07-02 Arachnid Inc. System and method for controlling the operation of an entertainment unit
US8811629B1 (en) 2013-09-09 2014-08-19 Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. Automatic volume control for combined game and chat audio
US8498426B2 (en) * 2008-08-18 2013-07-30 Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc Headphone system for computer gaming
US8271509B2 (en) * 2008-11-20 2012-09-18 Bank Of America Corporation Search and chat integration system
US20120258813A1 (en) * 2011-04-05 2012-10-11 Belcher Timothy W Billiards Queue Placement Token
US9600026B2 (en) * 2015-07-14 2017-03-21 Zivelo Inc. Interactive kiosk systems and methods for their manufacture
CN105727557A (zh) * 2016-05-05 2016-07-06 武汉穆特科技有限公司 无人监管游戏平台收费系统
GB2565416A (en) * 2017-06-16 2019-02-13 Milyiz Pty Ltd Pool table monitoring and control system
US11504602B2 (en) * 2019-04-08 2022-11-22 Barzcash Inc. System, method, and apparatus for tracking machine use
US10891832B2 (en) 2019-04-08 2021-01-12 James J. Kershbaumer System and method for tracking machine use
US11348405B2 (en) * 2019-04-08 2022-05-31 Barzcash Inc. System, method, and apparatus for tracking machine use
US10960291B2 (en) 2019-04-08 2021-03-30 Barzcash Inc. System, method, and apparatus for tracking machine use

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GB2399765A (en) * 2003-06-04 2004-09-29 Oneida Indian Nation A cashless gaming system
US20040219974A1 (en) * 1999-09-21 2004-11-04 Cannon Lee E. Method and device for implementing a coinless gaming environment
US6843412B1 (en) * 2000-10-27 2005-01-18 Kirk Sanford Method and apparatus for providing money for operating a gaming machine

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US5038022A (en) * 1989-12-19 1991-08-06 Lucero James L Apparatus and method for providing credit for operating a gaming machine
US6048269A (en) * 1993-01-22 2000-04-11 Mgm Grand, Inc. Coinless slot machine system and method
US5593349A (en) * 1994-09-09 1997-01-14 Valley Recreation Products Inc. Automated league and tournament system for electronic games
US6577733B1 (en) * 1999-12-03 2003-06-10 Smart Card Integrators, Inc. Method and system for secure cashless gaming

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040219974A1 (en) * 1999-09-21 2004-11-04 Cannon Lee E. Method and device for implementing a coinless gaming environment
US6843412B1 (en) * 2000-10-27 2005-01-18 Kirk Sanford Method and apparatus for providing money for operating a gaming machine
GB2399765A (en) * 2003-06-04 2004-09-29 Oneida Indian Nation A cashless gaming system

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